André Glodzinski

4th Degree Black Belt, Cia Paulista BJJ

In Brazil

Andre started doing Jiu-Jitsu in 1994 at Cia Paulista in Sao Paulo after training in Judo as a child and Karate in his early teens. As a young White Belt, Andre participated in two internal tournaments and had qualified for the state tournament. One week before the state tournament, Andre almost lost his leg in a motorcycle crash. For the next 2 months, Andre received surgeries daily, and then wore a leg brace (Halo) for 2 years to rebuild inches of lost bone.

At the end of 1997, despite the doctor’s prognosis for his recovery, Andre got back on the mat and started training twice a day at Cia Paulista for the next 4 years. While in college, Andre had more surgeries for knee and shoulder injuries as he continued his Jiu-Jitsu training.

Andre earned his Purple Belt in 1999, and in 2001, recommended by Master Max Trombini, he began teaching Jiu-Jitsu classes at a small gym. In 2002, Andre graduated from college, and soon after earned his Brown Belt.

Against the odds, he won tournaments in all his Belts, including four times as State Champion, (3 as Individual, 1 as Team), twice 2nd Place, once 3rd place in the Nationals, IBJJF; one-time College Champion; and 2nd Place World No-Gi, IBJJF.

In early 2005, Andre earned his Black Belt at the main Cia Paulista school in Sao Paulo, Brazil from Master Maximiano Trombini. Andre continued his training daily and at the same time made plans to travel to the United States.

In the USA

Andre arrived in Los Angeles in 2005, and began to teach classes at Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend Rigan Machado’s gym in Redondo Beach. Rigan recommended Andre for an instructor position with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA Champion BJ Penn in Hilo, Hawaii. Andre trained and taught at BJ’s school, and lived with the Penn family on their land.

Mr. Penn (BJ’s father) offered Andre a long-term contract as instructor for the gym, but Andre declined, interested in seeing more of the United States. After this great experience in Hawaii Andre returned to California. When Andre returned to LA, a teammate connected him with Urijah Faber, who was opening an MMA gym in Sacramento.

Urijah offered Andre a position to start the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program at Urijah’s new academy. Andre accepted the offer and moved to Sacramento. After one year and a half of building his team, Andre was already making Jiu-Jitsu champion fighters who were on the podium at the Worlds, the Nationals, and the Pan-Americans. However, things worked differently between Andre’s traditional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Faber’s teaching style. In 2008, Andre and Urijah parted ways.

Partnering with a family from Faber’s gym, Andre opened a dedicated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA gym in downtown Sacramento, under the Cia Paulista shield and teaching the same style of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, discipline, respect and technical precision that Andre’s Sensei had taught him in Brazil.

 

 

 

For the next 3 years Andre kept building the competition team and students, both adults and kids in BJJ and MMA. Andre’s students are successful in competition, well-rounded, solid, jiu-jitsu skills distinguished by strong, fast guard, relentless top game and endless determination and endurance on the mat. The team victories on the mat and in the cage made the name Cia Paulista Sacramento synonymous with quality and high-performance in Jiu-Jitsu.

Even with the success on the tournaments and the growth of the MMA Fight Team, the high overhead, lack of training space and limited mat time, combined with the tough economy was too much for Andre’s business partners who closed the gym and shut down the entire business in mid-April 2011.

 

 

Despite this, with his full commitment to his students and family in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Andre immediately made plans to re-open Cia Paulista as his own business. With a personal loan from a friend and the support of his students, learning from the mistakes of the past, and staying focus on his vision, Andre was able to make ideas into reality.

 

 

 

Andre is the main instructor for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Team Andre Cia Paulista. As well as teaching, he referees the California IBJJF Tournaments and remains an active competitor. Under Prof. Andre Glodzinski at Cia Paulista in Sacramento, the focus is on the technique, culture and community of the martial art/sport, and the tradition and evolution of Jiu-Jitsu.

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the MMA Fighters who have trained with Andre (partial list):

BJ Penn
Rampage Jackson
Brendon Ver
Cheick Kongo
Michael Bispin
Urijah Faber
Joseph Benevidas
Dani Castilo

 

 

 

Some BJJ Cia Paulista Competitors:

 

Some Words From Andre:
You don’t have to be a competitor to have high-level Jiu-Jitsu.
Jiu-Jitsu can change people’s life, both their body and spirit.
I believe that I am like a mirror. If you are serious and honest, we will get along wonderfully. However, I have a hard time dealing with low character, selfish people.

 

 

If you want to learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from a teacher who respects and loves his martial art Cia Paulista is the place for you. I respect all commitment with Jiu-Jitsu. If you feel your limitations, if you are willing, I can teach you to exceed them.

Cia Paulista is a place with real BJJ with real people. Many come here and feel like a family.

Cia Paulista – Making Champions on the mat and Champions for Life.
Andre Glodzinski, 2011

INTERVIEW WITH ANDRE GLODZINSKI ON INSIDE BJJ

 

 

BJJ HEROS PROFILE BJJ HEROES ANDRÉ GLODZINSKI